Review: Northern Sinfonia, The Sage Gateshead

Jun 2 2008 by Thomas Hall, The Journal

THERE was an upbeat end of term feel to the Sinfonia’s final subscription concert of the season as a near full house turned out to hear early works by three of Russia’s big name composers.

Prokofiev’s affinity with the Classical period found expression in his first symphony, the classical, a delightful early 20th century reincarnation of Haydn at his wittiest.

And Haydn is very much the territory of the Sinfonia’s Austrian music director Thomas Zehetmair who didn’t miss a trick in setting playful tempos, the third movement Gavotte given a tipsy, swaying lilt and the finale a rombustuous stomp.

The finals of the 2006 BBC Young Musician of the Year competition were held at the Sage and the Sinfonia wasted no time in booking pianist Cordelia Williams. She was joined here by Huw Morgan for Shostakovich’s Concerto no 1 for piano and trumpet.

Shostakovich seemed out to show that, like Prokofiev, he too could see the lighter side of life in a boisterous piece. But amid the sometimes slapstick exchanges between soloists and orchestra, there was the sublime slow movement where Williams played beguilingly.

Morgan had fewer notes to play but made each one count with a beautifully cultured tone. In even the most exposed higher ranges, he hit his note dead-centre from a standing start before turning up the heat for the exhilarating thrust and parry of the closing argument between trumpet and piano.

More given to self doubt and angst than cheerfulness, Tchaikovsky’s first symphony Winter Daydreams had a difficult birth with many revisions before its premiere in 1868.

Nevertheless, it is his most sanguine symphonic essay, it’s Russian folksong themes lending cheer.

Zehetmair brought a firm sense of purpose to the broad romantic sweep and, bolstered by an impressive brass section, built up a thrillingly proportioned finale before exchanging warm end of term embraces with members of the orchestra.